Bald jokes aimed at me aside, I’ve loved The Enchanted Tiki Room since way back in 1972, when I saw it for the first time. Back then, it was known as the Tropical Serenade and a character called the Orange Bird walked around outside the nearby Sunshine Terrace.

Walt Disney and Jose, the star of the Enchanted Tiki Room.

So, needless to say, I was thrilled to learn that the original Tiki Bird show will be returning to Adventureland in Walt Disney World, with the debut tentatively scheduled for Monday.

In 1972, the Tiki Birds’ pavilion was as far as you could go in Adventureland. Pirates of the Caribbean was under construction and farther down the road, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain hadn’t quite made it to the drawing board; indeed, the area was just bulldozed flat land.

Being the traditionalist that I am (at least when it comes to things Disney), the Tiki Birds have always been one of my favorites, simply because they represented Disney’s first successful stab at creating the now widely accepted Audio-Animatronics medium.

The original Enchanted Tiki Room show debuted in Disneyland in 1963. The birds’ movements were created by the use of solenoid coils hidden inside their bodies. They received signals which had been recorded onto magnetic tape and the birds moved, talked and "sang" on cue.

The updated Enchanted Tiki Room in Walt Disney World is scheduled to reopen Monday.

The Enchanted Tiki Room’s success paved the way for more sophisticated Audio-Animatronics shows, including Ford’s Magic Skyway, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, It’s a Small World and GE’s Carousel of Progress at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair.

In addition to the stars of the Tiki Room show — Jose, Fritz, Michael and Pierre — there are more than 200 birds, flowers and tikis who will return and take part in the colorful, tuneful production.

And, of course, there also will be the unseen but very volatile tiki gods, "who have been angered by all the celebratin’."

The updated Enchanted Tiki Room will feature the latest technology, including a state-of-the-art show control system, energy-efficient lighting and remastered audio.

Updates on other Walt Disney World attractions currently closed

Magic Kingdom

Mickey’s Toontown Fair was closed for good on Feb. 11, 2011,as part of the Fantasyland expansion.

The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade was closed on June 8 and will reopen on Sept. 30.

Swiss Family Treehouse will be closed Sept. 8-Nov. 17.

The Lunching Pad restaurant will be closed from Aug. 29-Sept. 16, while Casey’s Corner will be closed from Aug. 30-Sept. 14.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Voyage of the Little Mermaidwill be closed from Aug. 15-Sept. 3, while the Studio Backlot Tour will be closed from Sept. 4-24.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Primeval Whirl has been closed for refurbishment since Jan. 17. It will reopen Sept. 14.

And It’s Tough to Be a Bug will be closed for refurbishment from Aug. 15 through Sept. 22.